Flying a drone at night – night flights allowed in the dark?

Are drones allowed to fly at night or at dusk in Europe? There are clear rules for drone night flights 2023/2024. We tell you what you need to be aware of and what is allowed.

Drone flying at night 2023/2024

According to the current EU drone regulations, night flights are no longer banned across the board, but are allowed without permission if the drone is equipped with the appropriate lights.

The LBA (Luftfahrt-Bundesamt – German Federal Aviation Authority) states the following:

“In contrast to previous German law, UAS flights at night are not excluded and thus do not require a special permit. The UAS must be equipped with a green flashing light during operation at night (valid from 01 July 2022). In the period until 01 July 2022, the UAS must carry lights for flights at night, unless it is equipped with a green flashing light, which makes it recognisable and clearly distinguishes it from other aircraft. The flight shall be conducted in direct visual contact between the remote pilot and the drone, as during the day. Additional position lights to help assess the position of the UAS in space are recommended.”

This regulation applies throughout Europe.

Flying the drone in the dark

Accordingly, you can also fly your drone at dusk and in the dark.

Summary

Since the EU Drone Regulation came into force on 31 December 2020, night flights are no longer prohibited across the board in Europe, but can be carried out without a special permit. We have linked the relevant source in the article above.

This now allows significantly more areas of application for drone flights without having to worry about a corresponding permit. Nevertheless, keep your eyes open during night flights! Do not underestimate the limited visibility conditions, even if your drone has separate light sources.

Drone at night FAQ